"Terrible experience at out of hours"

I rang Out of Hours GP Altnagelvin as my 2 year old son’s condition was deteriorating, to include trouble breathing and vomiting. I was told that I could bring him over to see a Doctor at 1 am. On arrival at 1 am my husband and I (both wearing masks) arrived to the large empty waiting area and were immediately scolded by the receptionist behind the screen telling us that one of us had to wait outside. We respected this as hospital policy so my husband left and I stayed with my son and we waited in the waiting room, being seen 30 minutes later than the assigned appointment slot.

The Doctor (who was not wearing a mask) came out to reception and called us into the room. This had now been nearly 4 hours since I initially contacted Out of Hours, which is quite a long wait considering my son’s type of symptoms and his age. When we went into the Doctor’s room they did not wear any PPE whatsoever during the appointment. Did not wear a mask at any stage. He did not wear an apron or gloves to examine my sons throat or ears. I find this to be disgraceful particularly when my husband and I were greeted with such panic for both attending the empty waiting room together whilst both wearing masks.

I am also concerned that this Doctor will have been seeing patient after patient all day potentially passing on Covid or other infections to my son whilst treating him. From the very outset of the appointment the Doctor’s attitude was bored and disinterested, did not acknowledge me to ask me about my son’s symptoms, just gestured toward some notes on the computer screen and then proceeded to take my son’s temperature and listen to my son’s back and chest by reaching down his vest. They did not check his breathing with his vest off to see whether or not his tummy muscles were contracting more than usual. He then looked in his throat and ears. After carrying out these checks the Doctor said he did not need an antibiotic. No mention of steroids at all.

I then asked if they could prescribe something which could help dry up his congestion/mucous which was causing him to choke and vomit, to which the doctor responded that there isn’t much research to say these medications work and that they can be bought over the counter anyway. To my knowledge there are no chemists open in the middle of the night to buy medication for my child and I would have thought that this would have been the very least that could be offered, however I was also not fully convinced that my son did not need an antibiotic or steroid as I knew how ill he was. When I asked how I could help my son during a choking episode where he cannot breathe the Doctor sighed and said that there’s nothing we can do really except be there for him, and stated again that he didn’t need an antibiotic, then turned away from me and faced the computer screen to signal the end of the appointment.

I then left the room with my son.  I did not show it at the time however I was upset and angry at this dismissive and disrespectful behaviour, not showing any empathy for parents and children who are over there at the middle of the night seeking medical help and reassurances. I have never experienced an appointment conducted in such an unprofessional and unhygienic manner. Not once did the Doctor advise me on what to do if my son’s symptoms got worse or on what red flags I should look out for after leaving the appointment.

The following evening my son’s condition deteriorated further with laboured breathing when resting and more vomiting, so I rang Out of Hours again. A different Doctor to the previous evening rang back and asked us to come over. I kindly asked the Doctor on the phone could we instead have medication left for my son at reception so that we did not have to bring him out again for a second night in the cold air, to which they said absolutely not, it's not a shop where people can just order things. At that I politely said thank you to the doctor and accepted the appointment, but when I hung up the phone I burst into tears. I couldn’t believe how rude, sharp, uncaring and insensitive these Doctors were.

My husband attended this second appointment with my son, I couldn’t face it after the experience the previous evening and then from that phone conversation. Despite the rude interaction on the phone this different Doctor was very helpful and perscribed my 2 year old steroids and an inhaler, both of which likely should have been given at the previous appointment less than 24 hours earlier had he been examined more thoroughly and intently.